Chapter 264: Let Your Grandmother Suffer a Bit
“Stop shouting! Do you want others to hear?”
Seeing her two sons immediately shut their mouths, Chang Huilan let out a long sigh of relief and quickly reminded them again.
“Mother, what exactly happened? Why did Father go alone? Did someone from the capital, maybe Eldest Sister or Brother-in-law, send someone?”
The more Yu Xiaoxuan thought about it, the more he felt this was the only possibility. As he spoke, his face unconsciously showed excitement and anticipation.
It would have been better if her eldest daughter hadn’t been mentioned at all. At the mention of her, Chang Huilan couldn’t help but grit her teeth in hatred!
With Yu Qiuyun’s current status, and the dowry the family had provided when she married, just a tiny fraction of it could have been used to send them supplies in exile.
But what happened?
Thinking back to when they were exiled, Yu Qiuyun had come to bid farewell with a look of heart-wrenching sorrow. But now, even recalling that scene made Chang Huilan feel it was nothing but an act.
She was convinced that her daughter had only put on that show because she had to maintain her reputation in the capital. Even if most people had distanced themselves from the Yu family, her identity as a Yu daughter would never change. So, she had no choice but to act the part of a filial daughter.
If Yu Qiuyun had truly cared even a little, her husband wouldn’t have to take such a risk to return to the capital.
If anything happened to her husband, she wouldn’t care about her daughter anymore. Even if Yu Qiuyun became Empress one day, she wouldn’t acknowledge her!
“No, it was your father who contacted an old friend. That person is waiting for him in Pingyang City. Xiaoran, here’s some dry rations—set off immediately to find your father. If nothing unexpected happens, he should still be heading toward Jiuchong Mountain. Your martial arts are superior to Xiaoxuan’s. Only if you go will I feel at ease.”
Chang Huilan handed the already packed bundle to Yu Xiaoran and slipped a few banknotes into his palm.
“This is the last of the money I had hidden in my cotton-padded coat. Your father left in such a hurry that he didn’t take any with him. Give these to him when you find him—he might need them.”
“Understood! I will leave at once, Mother, you should return to the cave. I’ll set off immediately!”
Yu Xiaoran decisively took the bundle and slung it over his shoulder. Then, he turned to his younger brother with a serious expression.
“Xiaoxuan, you’re seventeen now. Stop acting recklessly like before. With both Father and me gone, you are the only man left in the family. Xiaoyun is too young to count on. If you pull another stunt like last time, don’t blame me for breaking your leg when I return!”
“N-no, I won’t! Last time was my fault—I shouldn’t have acted impulsively and caused trouble for everyone. Big Brother, don’t worry about me. Just go, and make sure you and Father return safely. Even if we remain exiled, we all need you both to stay safe. We will be waiting for you to come back.”
Seeing the red-rimmed eyes of Yu Xiaoxuan and hearing his rare display of maturity, Yu Xiaoran finally felt a little more at ease. But he still had a few more things to say.
“Since we now know Grandmother is in Yu Luo’s hands, talk to them properly. Don’t provoke Yu Luo. Grandmother has already done enough wrong to her—if she wants to vent her anger, it’s understandable. As long as she doesn’t take their lives, let her do what she wants. Do you understand?”
Hearing her eldest son’s words, Chang Huilan finally relaxed completely.
She had to admit, this eldest son of hers truly took after his father.
But if that old hag Chen ended up suffering at Yu Luo’s hands, wouldn’t she just take it all out on her as the daughter-in-law later?
Thinking of this, Chang Huilan quickly looked at Yu Xiaoran.
“Enough, I understand. I will talk to your brother. You go and catch up with your father. Jiuchong Mountain is full of bandits—be careful, and avoid unnecessary conflicts. Just focus on making good time. Now go, or you won’t be able to catch up with him.”
Truthfully, Chang Huilan wished all of them would just die outside.
One was her love rival, another was the wretched mother-in-law who had tormented her for years. The bitterness had built up over time, and exile had only made Old Madam Chen’s pettiness and cruelty worse.
She had had enough.
As for Lady Lan, she had shared her husband for years. If she disappeared, it would be a relief—no matter what the future held, her husband would be hers alone.
And Yu Meiyao… while it was a pity, she had been an eyesore for years. If she survived, she could be useful in the future—after all, with her good looks and years of training under Lady Lan, she might serve a purpose.
“Alright, Mother, take care. I’ll be off now.”
Not knowing if he would face mortal danger ahead, the filial Yu Xiaoran knelt and kowtowed deeply before his mother.
With red-rimmed eyes, Chang Huilan helped him up and watched as his figure disappeared into the night.
“Mother, let me take you back to the cave.”
Hearing her younger son’s words, Chang Huilan wiped away her tears with her sleeve before looking at him.
“Since your brother said so, let your grandmother suffer a bit. We’ll go tomorrow.”
Yu Xiaoxuan: …
“But, Yu Luo really holds grudges. If I don’t go now and she gets too angry, what if she actually—”
“She won’t. Liu Lan just told me that your grandmother and the others were only caught stealing corn. Yu Luo wouldn’t kill them over something like that. Your brother is right—let your grandmother suffer a bit. Maybe she’ll finally learn her lesson and stop provoking Yu Luo in the future. If that happens, it’ll be easier to get them back.”
Hearing this, Yu Xiaoxuan nodded in agreement. He decided to go to Yu Luo tomorrow instead.
Back at the cave, little Yu Xiaoyun was anxiously waiting at the entrance, eyes straining into the dark.
After what felt like forever, he finally saw two figures approaching from afar.
Excited, he ran out, only to see that his second brother and aunt were returning, using their light-footed movement techniques.
But behind them, there was no sign of his aunt or sister.
And worse—his eldest brother hadn’t come back either.
